Then
by Marla1
Summary: We'll look back someday, at this moment that we're in And I'll look at you and say And I thought I loved you then


******Harry smiled and said, "I do." his mind was taken back to his memories of the beautiful angel standing in front of him.**

******He was taken back to two years after the defeat of Voldermort when he first realized and acted on his feelings for his now wife.**

**"****OH MY GOD HARRY!" Hermione screamed, as she stepped out of the fireplace and into his flat. "HARRY HARRY HARRY!" She continued to scream his name, a smile plastered on her face.**

******She was feeling giddy and happy and danced and spun around the living room waiting for him.**

******Harry heard her yelling and bolted out of his office. His hand found his wand as he prepared to take on whatever had Hermione screaming. He stopped at the second floor landing and looked out on living room where Hermione was standing. She took his breath away that moment and was stunned into silence.**

******Hermione spun around in a circle, eyes closed, dancing and moving her body to a tune that could only be heard inside her head. Harry was instantly happy seeing the smile on Hermione's face, and all worries flew out of his mind. **

******She opened her eyes, hearing someone, and looked up at Harry, "HARRY."**

******Harry didn't think her smile could have gotten any larger, but somehow it did. He rushed down the stairs, wanting to join in whatever was making his Hermione so happy. **

******As he hit the first floor landing he realized what had gone through his mind, but that train of thought was quickly derailed as she engulfed him in a hug saying, "I did it, I did it, I did it Harry."**

** "****What did you do?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her giggling body.**

**"****Healer…" she muffled into his chest trying to get out the reason for her excitement but could barely speak in her excitement, "exams… me… fully… instated…"**

******Harry laughed, "That's my girl." He tightened his arms around her, picked her up and spun them around, Hermione laughing the entire time.**

******Harry understood what she had said, even through the giggling. She had passed her Healers exams and had been granted her license by St. Mungos. "Well of course they had to instate you, I bet you got a hundred and twenty percent on your test." He said as he placed her back on the ground, not letting her out of the hug just yet.**

******She laughed at his comment, but couldn't form the words she wanted to say, so she continued hugging him.**

******Harry laughed, "Okay we have to celebrate",**

******She smiled and nodded her head, "What should we do, I am on such a high I don't know which way is up.".**

******Harry smiled, a plan forming in his mind.**

******- - - - - - - - - -**

******An hour later they were sitting against a tree in the park. They talked about everything as they snacked on a smorgasbord of chocolate desserts. **

******Harry's mind was in a million different places as they talked. He was sorting through his feelings about his best friend. As Hermione and Ron's relationship ended and they rebuilt their friendship, Harry started having different feelings towards Hermione. He was completely mesmerized by her, not just by her brains, and beauty but by her compassion, her caring nature, her loyalty and everything about her. Many words and adjectives could describe how felt, and now he was able to put it simply: he was enthralled by this woman. What Harry didn't realize, and was starting to dawn on was that he loved this woman.**

**"****Harry?" Hermione touched his shoulder immediately pulling him out of his thoughts. **

******The object of his thoughts smiled at him and threw a cherry at him. His seeker reflexes took over and he caught it in his mouth, after he ate the fruit he continued, "Yes beautiful?"**

******Hermione's smile grew larger at his compliment, "What's got you in a fog?"**

******After seeing her reaction to his slip, he grew more brazen and turned towards her staring at her beautiful face, a plan forming in his mind, "I was just thinking that St. Mungo's newest and most amazing healer might be busy as ever but could she make room in her schedule for a date on Friday night?" suddenly feeling very self conscious he dropped his eyes to the ground.**

******He raised his eyes back up and saw a sparkle in her eyes and a smile bigger than the one she greeted him with just an hour before graced her face.**

******Harry laughed as Ron stood up to give the best man's speech knowing it was going to be an embarrassing story, "See Harry and Hermione were always close. It seemed like they knew what each other was thinking. Ever since Hogwarts began those two would look at each other and just know what the other was feeling, except in the beginning of their coupling when they were admitting their feelings for each other. As Best Man I get to tell at least one embarrassing and endearing story about my best friends.**

******Hermione laughed at Harry's reenactment of Teddy's newest accomplishment and the accompanying reactions of the family. Teddy had changed his face, to match his fathers, scaring his grandmother and father and making his mother and god father proud. **

******Hermione smiled to herself, here they were sitting on her porch swing swinging and talking. He did not try to make a move on her even though she wore a revealing halter top dress, and was sitting extraordinary close to him. Hermione loved and was frustrated by him. She loved that he respected her so much that he would not try what other boys would have done without a second thought. But it frustrated her because she really wanted to kiss him.**

******Actually every date they had been on in the last three weeks Harry had an internal battle about the right time to kiss Hermione. He did not know what was right and what was proper, but he sure knew he wanted to kiss the amazingly beautiful girl that was sitting precariously close to him. Harry decided that that tonight would be the night, come hell or high water he was going to kiss her. Now he just had to get his inner Gryffindor to come out and take a chance.**

******Forty-five minutes later under the front porch light as he walked her to her door, his inner lion came out. Hermione pulled out her wand and unlocked her door, she turned around to say good bye to Harry. But not realizing how close he was, she lost her balance. The next thing she knew she was in heaven being kissed by Harry.**

******A few minutes later Harry reluctantly broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers, "I hope I can see you tomorrow night for those dance lessons you promised me?"**

******Hermione smiled and pressed her lips against his once more, answering his question. **

******Harry smiled at her retreating form, talking to himself, "God I love that girl…" a voice in his head answered back ****__****now you just have to tell her that********. Harry laughed, knowing that was the next hurdle, not the loving part because he knew he loved her with all of his heart and soul but the telling her part.**

**"****May I have this dance, Mrs. Potter?" Harry held his hand to his wife.**

**"****Why I thought you would never ask." Hermione smiled and took his hand with her left. **

******As they walked out on the dance floor, Harry's thoughts were brought back to the day that he put the diamond and emerald ring on her finger.**

**"****Give me ten minutes Mister Potter or so help me I will kick your butt." Hermione grumbled as she threw clothing into her bag. **

******This weekend was their five year Hogwarts reunion, and she had had everything planned out for the weekend. There had been an emergency at the hospital, causing Hermione to run an hour behind. A huge explosion, injuring over one hundred workers led to Hermione's day being hectic and crazy. **

******She spent the day treating people for spell damages and other maladies, not realizing as time passed. She would still be at the hospital if it had not been for her boss, Gene, telling her that if she did not leave the hospital she would be hexed out of the building. **

******Hermione smiled at the thought of her boss hexing her out of the hospital as she continued packing her weekend bag. Gene and Hermione had grown to be good friends over the last three years as she mentored Hermione in trauma and spell healing.**

******Harry walked into Hermione's bed room with a smile on his face. She was just so darn cute when she was flustered and running behind. Hermione threw her hands up in frustration, as the zipper caught on her dress ripping it.**

******Harry moved quickly over to her knowing her frustrated was not a good way to start the weekend. He moved the bag from her grasp, taking out his wand and repairing the dress and closing the bag.**

******Harry wrapped his arm around his upset girlfriend, "It is okay Love. We don't have to be there at six pm exactly…" she sighed, "Plus you can just say my boyfriend the FAMOUS Harry Potter the Vanquisher of Voldermort was running late, I don't mind taking the blame. Plus no one will care that the Boy who Lived Twice is late, and his beautiful girlfriend had to tap her foot on the ground and wait for his late bum." Hermione laughed, Harry continued, "Plus missy you were saving lives. And if anyone gives you hell for that, they are mean and I will beat them up. So can I get a smile?"**

******She smiled at him and continued, "And a kiss I guess." She said as she stood on her tip toes to reach his lips. Breaking the kiss she continued, "Shall we get going then, oh great and wonderful Vanquisher?"**

******Harry groaned at the nickname that had become his title many years before. He grabbed her bag before she could and walked out of her bed room. Though Hermione laughed at his display of his gentlemanly nature, always insisting that he carry her bags, she wouldn't give it up for the world. Harry was a gentleman and if he wanted to show her respect and love by helping her out she let him. It had taken her a while for her to realize that doing things like that made him happy.**

******Harry stood in the living room, two bags adorning his shoulders with his wand out, **

**"****We apparating?" she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.**

******Harry nodded and they appeared in Hogsmede.**

******- - - - - - - - - -**

**"****Oh Hermione it is so great to see you." Minerva exclaimed wrapping her favorite student in a hug.**

**"****Professor it is great to see you too." Hermione exclaimed.**

**"****I have heard some great things about you Hermione from one Gene at St. Mungos."**

**"****Oh that crazy lady doesn't know what she is talking about, it is all lies I tell you." Hermione laughed, as she and Minerva took their place in the buffet line behind Harry.**

******Minerva smiled at the couple, they were walking down the buffet grabbing all of the main courses on Harry's plate while all of the side dishes and other delectable dishes went on Hermione's.**

******She laughed as Hermione stacked desserts on her plate, she turned back to Minerva and smiled, "Will you join us?"**

******Minerva nodded and followed them to a table.**

******- - - - - - - - - -**

**"****Does anyone need anything else from the buffet table, I'm feeling a chocolaty craving coming on?" Harry asked.**

**"****Me too Love." Hermione smiled at him and got up to let him out of the booth.**

******Harry stood up from the table, gave her a quick kiss before she sat back down. He was happy that she was helping him fit everything together for his plan without even knowing it.**

**"****I would love some too, thank you!" Minerva laughed as Harry bowed away from the table, she turned to Hermione, "I always knew you two would end up together, I am glad that you two finally realized it."**

******Hermione laughed, "I am too…" her smile got bigger as she thought about Harry.**

******As they continued talking Minerva looked towards the table and saw Harry standing at the buffet table. He looked to be pulling something out of his pocket. She caught sight of a small box and laughed.**

******Hermione looked at Minerva with a questioning look on her face, "Oh I was just remembering how you and Harry met and became friends, battling a troll as first years. It always brings a smile to my face." She tried to restrain her smile as Harry walked back over to the table.**

******Hermione smiled, "Yea it sure was a crazy time wasn't it, oh Hogwarts…" Hermione turned and smiled at Harry, who placed a plate with chocolate cake in front of Minerva, Hermione and his place.**

******She stood up to let Harry back in the booth. As she stood up he went down on one knee and took her hand pulling his mother's engagement ring out of his pocket, "My beautiful and brilliant Hermione, I am sure you have deduced what I am going to ask you. Let me start from the beginning, I wanted to ask you to marry me for the longest time. But I realized that I wanted to bring you back to the place where I first met you to ask you this question. Hogwarts was a crazy seven years, starting with a troll and ending with a mad man's death. You stuck with me through it all, through thick and thin. You were by my side no matter what I did, and no matter how hard I tried to push you away you pushed right back. Back then I didn't know that that was love. You were the first person to show and tell me that you loved me. You have been a shining beacon in my life. I know that I would not be here if it wasn't for you. Hermione, my love, my angel, the woman I want to wake up with for the rest of my life, will you do me the honor of marrying?"**

******The Great Hall was stunned in silence. No one was expecting Harry to propose to her in the middle of the Great Hall on Reunion Weekend. Harry and Hermione were both private people, after having their lives exposed to the public for most of their lives. It took more than three months for the gossipers to get wind of their relationship and then all hell broke loose. After the initial shock of their relationship hit they were hounded by people. A fanatic fan girl attacked Hermione during this time, causing them to address the public about their relationship.**

******He wrote letters and made speeches to every media outlet he could find. He told them that he never had a childhood because of Voldermort. He and his friends gave up many years of their lives and went through pain and hell to defeat Voldermort. Now he wanted to live his life, he simply wanted to be a normal citizen. And the attack on his best and now girl friend was uncalled for and if anyone ever did that again they would be met with swift justice. **

******Thankfully the public listened and after that the gossipers focused less and less on the boy who lived. It also helped that Harry and Hermione were private people, they avoided getting their names in the papers. They were content with living a normal life. This was why people were extremely shocked by his proposal.**

******Tears filling her eyes, Hermione nodded. Harry slipped the ring on her finger and lifted her into his arms in one fell swoop. **

******Hermione laughed and buried her face into his shoulder, "I love you, you crazy man."**

******Hermione rested her head on his shoulder, towards the end of the dance. Harry pulled her closer to him, wanting to continue to hold her as the music played around them. He saw his future in the mass of brown curls resting against his chest. He ran his hands through her curls imagining what she would look like pregnant with their children. Beautiful was the only word he could think of. He thought of their children and an even bigger smiled graced his face as he thought about raising them and how they would turn out. He imagined that even after that taking long walks on the beach still enjoying each other's company, even after being married for fifty years. He was excited for the future that laid ahead of them.**

**"****I love you Harry." She said staring up at him with those soulful brown eyes.**

******Harry caressed her cheek, smiling at his wife and at the future before them.**

******~~~~~~~~~~ the end ~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

******Please review and tell me what you think, I will be updating the rest of my stories soon!!!!!!!**

******So this is the song I got inspiration from. It's an AMAZING SONG!!!!!!!**

**Then lyrics**

**Brad Paisley**

I remember, trying not to stare the night that I first met you  
You had me mezmorized  
And three weeks later, in the front porch light  
taking forty-five minutes to kiss goodnight  
I hadn't told you yet  
but I thought I loved you then

Chorus

And now you're my whole life  
now you're my whole world  
I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl  
Like a river meets the sea,  
stronger than it's ever been.  
We've come so far since that day  
And I thought I loved you then

And i remember, taking you back to right where I first met you,  
You were so surprised  
There were people around, but I didn't care  
Got down on one knee right there once again,  
I thought I loved you then

Chorus

And now you're my whole life  
now you're my whole world  
I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl  
Like a river meets the sea,  
stronger than it's ever been.  
We've come so far since that day  
And I thought I loved you then

I could just see you, with a baby on the way  
And I could just see you, when your hair is turning gray  
What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more  
But I've said that before

And now you're my whole life  
now you're my whole world  
I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl  
We'll look back someday, at this moment that we're in  
And I'll look at you and say  
And I thought I loved you then  
And I thought I loved you then


End file.
